Miles e



(No Model.)

M. E. HAMILTON.

EGG CRATE.

No. 546,149. Patented Sept. 10, 1895.

WITNESSES I 0c 1101 '22 was ANBREW BGRAHAM.WOTO'UTNQWASNINGFOK? (IV 5 UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

MILES E. HAMILTON, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONEIIALF TO JOHN CROUSE, 'OF SAME PLACE.

EGG- CRATE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 546,149, dated September 10, 1895.

Application filed March 29, 1895- Serial No. 543,631l (N model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Mines E. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at A11- burn, in the county of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Egg-Crates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and

' exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to crates for packing and transporting eggs, and its object is to provide an improved construction of the same, which shall be simple and inexpensive, and by the use of which thereis but little liability of the eggs being broken.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an eggcrate partly opened constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the crate closed.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 indicates two rectangular frames, identical with each other and hinged together at 2. The outer sides or top and bottom, respect ively, of the frame are provided With slats 3.

The numeral 4 designates a sheet of wirecloth or reticulated metal, having formed therein a number of pockets 5 of a form resembling that of an egg, with alternate transverse and horizontal ridges or projections 6 and depressions 7. These pockets may be formed by stamping or pressing by suitable formers, or in any other manner found. convenient. There is one of these sheets or plates for each frame, the edges of which are secured to the frame by strips 8 nailed thereto. These plates or sheets face each other when the crate is closed, so that the eggs will be confined in the pockets, and as the latter have a certain degree of elasticity, due to the materials of which they are made, there is no liability of the eggs being broken under ordinary cir- 5o cumstances. Secured to the lower frame or section is a spring-catch, consisting of a piece of spring-wire 9, one end of which is secured to the front of one of the sections near the end thereof and then extended along inwardly 5 5 to about the center, where it passes through a loop '10, secured to said section. It is then bent upwardly and its end bent inwardly, forming a bend which engages with a slot in the upper edge of the other section. The extremity'of the wire is then bent laterally to form a finger-hold.

The numeral 12 designates two inwardlyextending spring-arms, secured, respectively, to opposite ends of each of the sections. These arms are located in one of the trans verse depressions of the wire-cloth and rest against the outer sides thereof.

a Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is-- 7o 1. In an egg crate, the combination with the two sections hinged together and provided with slats on the top and bottom, ofthe sheets or plates of wire gauze or cloth secured to said sections and formed with pockets and alter- 7 5 nating transverse and horizontal projections and depressions, and the inwardly extending spring arms secured to opposite ends of each section and bearing against the outer surfaces of the sheets or plates, substantially as 8c described.

2. The combination with the two sections hinged together and provided with wire-gauze sheets or plates formed with pockets, the inwardly extending spring arms and the slats secured to said sections, of the spring-catch consisting of the transverse wire secured to one ofsaid sections near the outer end thereof, the loop, the vertical bent portion and the bends at the upper end for enga ing with a slot in the other section and the finger-hold, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MILES E. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. Moons, CH. G. ADAM. 

